The ethanol industry is calling recent attacks by the oil industry regarding the use of E15 inappropriate and unreasonable. The latest in an ongoing battle between Big Oil and Little Ethanol occurred when the American Petroleum Institute (API) issued a “warning” to drivers in Kansas to not use E15 being sold at a Zarco 66 station in Lawrence, Kansas. In its first …
Offshore Wind Project Sails Ahead
The Blyth Offshore Wind Demonstration Site off the UK coast is sailing ahead. SeaRoc, a marine engineering company, has been contracted to install the foundation, equipment platform and meteorological mast for the wind energy project. SeaRoc is taking over for the previous contractor and construction is scheduled to begin within the next two months. Andrew Mill, CEO of Narec, the …
Ethanol Safety Seminar Comes to Iowa
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is partnering with the Canadian National Railway and the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) to host two Ethanol Safety Seminars. The first will be held on July 30, 2012 in Sioux City, Iowa and the second on August 1, 2o12 in Fort Dodge, Iowa. The seminars are FREE to attend and open to the public …
FREE Webinar: Solar in the Military
The U.S. military has taken a strong lead in the use and development of alternative energy including solar energy. On Thursday, July 19th at 12:00 pm EDT, Principle Solar Institute is hosting a free webinar: Solar in the Military. The focus is on the Department of Defenses’s (DOD) strategic vision for solar energy and its goal for implementation. Pew Charitable …
New Biofuels Conference on the Block
There is a new conference on the block – the 2012 Collective Biofuels Conference hosted by Promethean Biofuels. The event takes place at Temecula Creek Inn on August 17 – 19, 2012 and is designed for small biofuels producers with a focus on industrial scale-up production. The conference will educate the industry on biofuels basics, research, community, quality, ASTM testing, …
Brazil Boasts Successful Biofuels Flight
Amyris, Inc. provided a renewable jet fuel blend derived from Brazilian sugarcane to Azul Brazilian Airlines who boasted a successful test flight. The Embraer E195 jet took flight from Campinas Viracopos Airport, flew over Rio De Janeiro, where the U.N. Conference for Sustainable Development (RIO +20), and landed at Rio’s Santos Dumont Airport. Known as Azul+Verde (“a greener blue” in …
Gas-to-Energy Plant in Lenox, Michigan Up & Running
Construction is complete at the gas-to-energy plant at the Pine Trees Acres Renewable Energy Facility in Lenox, Michigan. Once operational, the facility will generate 12.8 megawatts of electricity, enough to power nearly 12,000 average sized homes. The Pine Tree Acres Renewable Energy Facility, that sits on 14.5 acres of land, generates up to 4,800 cubic feet per minute of landfill …
The Right Place in the Right Place for Funding
The Michigan Business Development Program has awarded $450,000 for Altronics Energy, LLC. The Right Place, a regional non-profit economic development organization, along with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and Byron Township all worked together to secure the funding. The funds will be used toward a $2.5 million expansion underway as part of the collaboration between Altronics Energy and Windtronics. …
Iowa Leads the Way in Renewable Fuel Growth
According to a new study by Cardo ENTRIX, the “renewable fuels industry has grown spectacularly over the past decade and Iowa has been a major participant and beneficiary.” This is no surprise as Iowa leads the way in biodiesel and ethanol production. To learn about some of the key highlights of the study, I spoke with Brad Albin, VP of …
Iowa Gov. Brandstad Declares Iowa Ethanol Day
June 15, 2012 was a big day for the renewable fuels industry in Iowa. It was the 34th anniversary of the first gallon of commercial E10 being sold, the 10th Anniversary of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) and E15 is ready to go in Iowa following a federal EPA announcement that the final regulatory hurdles had been cleared. I …